1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses, control methods implemented in the image forming apparatuses, control programs for controlling the image forming apparatus, and recording mediums storing the control programs, and in particular, to such image forming apparatuses, control methods, control programs, and recording mediums capable of executing a plurality of programs one after another using an authorization function.
2. Description of the Background Art
It is common that an image forming apparatus includes a plurality of functions, such as printing, copying, sending facsimile, scanning, etc., implemented by software, and such an apparatus is referred to as a multi-function machine. Each of these functions is generally implemented by switching the software from one to another.
An image forming apparatus can also include a job reservation function allowing a user to reserve an image formation job per an operation. Thus, a copying operation can be automatically advanced to the next job upon completion of the previously reserved job, when the next job is reserved using the job reservation function in the image forming apparatus. Specifically, an operator sets an original document on a reading section, and inputs and registers various reservation items, such as a number of copies, a copying mode (e.g., duplex or simplex), etc., through a display section. Thus, the reserved job can be automatically performed upon completion of the previously reserved job. Since a user can leave the image forming apparatus after he or she sets the original document on the reading section and completes the registration of the job, he or she is not needed to engage therewith any more during the printing. Thus, such a job reservation is significantly advantageous, in particular, when a plurality of jobs having a significantly large number of copies are executed.
The image forming apparatus also employs a setting change function of changing contents of a job. For example, a deleting function is typically included to delete a job when a reserved job becomes needless. Further, a priority changing function is sometimes employed to optionally change and give a priority to another reserved job to be processed prior to a previously reserved job. In such a circumstance, a user can freely change contents and a priority, and even delete a job, when a user exclusively uses an image forming apparatus. However, when the image forming apparatus is commonly used by a plurality of users, another user can change and delete setting and a priority of a job, which has been reserved by a prescribed authorization user, without his or her consent. When some settings are to be changed, the authorization user generally comes to realize either an abnormality or deletion by finding an output or a skip of the reserved job for the first time. In order to overcome such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2001-111743 discusses an image forming apparatus that requests a user to input a password to identify an authorization user and to determine if the user is permitted to change a reserved job.
The above-mentioned image forming apparatus generally includes a condition-setting device that sets a condition for an image formation job, a user registration device that registers a user ID (identification) and a password that collectively identify a user who is authorized to operate the apparatus, a job reservation device that allows a registered user to reserve an image formation job, a set condition changing device that changes a setting condition of the image formation job, and a user identifying device that requests a user to input a password, identifies the user based upon the input password, and either validates or invalidates an operation that changes the above-mentioned setting condition based upon the identification result. Thus, other users can be inhibited from changing or deleting an image formation job, which has been reserved by an authorized user, by requesting an input of a password of an authorized user, who has reserved the image formation job, when the image formation job is to be changed. However, when a password of a user is input upon request, an image formation job continues printing until the user is authorized in the background image forming apparatus. Further, when an inadequacy is included in a reserved job, and thus the job having started printing is to be quickly stopped, a password of an authorization user is necessarily input, resulting in erroneous copy continuation until the user is authorized.